


How Far We've Come

by Diddle_Riddle



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: Also I am so proud because I created the tag ;), F/F, F/M, Friendship, Future Fic, Gen, M/M, Minor Barbara Gordon/Dick Grayson, Minor Pamela Isley/Harleen Quinzel, My daughter will be Batman, No going back to yesterday, Reformed Edward Nygma, Reformed Harleen Quinzel, Reformed Pamela Isley, Stephanie Brown is Batman, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Villain Tim Drake, What the Batkids became, Yes she is, and that's awesome, legacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-20
Updated: 2020-01-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:02:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22300777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diddle_Riddle/pseuds/Diddle_Riddle
Summary: Remember that obscure time when everyone told Stephanie Brown to quit because no one believed in her? When none of the bats-and-birds deemed she could be neither part of the legend nor enter the family?Looking back to this era, it appeared such a laughable idea.Especially now that she became... Batman.
Relationships: Carrie Kelley/Nell Little, Cassandra Cain/Kon-El | Conner Kent, Edward Nygma/Vic Sage, Jonathan Crane & Enigma, Jonathan Samuel Kent/Damian Wayne, Past Jonathan Crane/Edward Nygma, Stephanie Brown & Cassandra Cain & Damian Wayne, Stephanie Brown & Edward Nygma, Stephanie Brown & Everyone, Stephanie Brown & Jason Todd, Stephanie Brown & Klarion & Teekl, Stephanie Brown & Vic Sage, Tim Drake/Enigma
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	How Far We've Come

**Author's Note:**

> For the record: my headcanoned name for Enigma is Esther Castle. In my DC Universe, she changed her villain name to Mockingjay when she joined Phoenix (you'll see who that is). She did so after she met a reformed Edward Nygma and ended up disappointed because he won't ever go back at being the Riddler now that he is happy and living with his found family.  
> She is not the main character there, but I thought I must specify this part otherwise it might look confusing.  
> For the rest... spotlight on Stephanie dearest and her team! <3

Stephanie smiled.

Not that this represented a breaking new: she was _always_ smiling.

It embodied a slight different meaning today nonetheless. Indeed... who said Batman couldn't smile?

"Wow!", Bruce exclaimed wide-eyed. "You look weird!", he completed instead of uttering a compliment.

Steph laughed, then she bent down to the little boy's level and asked her nephew / partner-in-crime / buddy:

"What weird? Good weird, weird weird, cute weird or wrong weird?"

The dark-haired child concentrated on the question for nearly a minute. Just like his mother, he had this habit to activate the 'Terminator-like-full-focus-mode', as Steph mockingly named Cassandra's look when planning a mission.

" _Batman_ weird!", he concluded happily, and they gave their homemade high five.

"I can go for that."

(())

"Thank you."

"You're very welcome, I feel awesome!", Stephanie bragged. "Besides. I wouldn't have let you leave the Manor in this outfit for the incoming _months_ , even if I had to tie you to your bed to stop you."

Cassandra rolled her eyes.

"I simply need to..."

"If you intend to be Batman again during your pregnancy, _everyone_ will stand against you."

"Come in there and get me!", she replied right away. "Pregnant or not, I can take all of you _down_."

"... No point to object there."

They shared a complicit gaze.

All the same, Cass didn't argue. _She_ asked Stephie after all, when it appeared clear she couldn't be out on cases anymore. While with Bruce, she stayed up in the costume until her _seventh month_.

Jason joked over that: "it's because of the chosen name! This unborn troublemaker already decides he won't retire from fighting villains!". The comment caused Bruce Wayne (the first one) to grumble before admitting he felt proud. Everyone had a lot of fun at the Manor that night.

Bruce abandoned Batman's identity, definitely this time, a couple of nights after he burned Joker's body and collected the aches. He hadn't been the one to kill the clown. Hell, he _couldn't have_ ; no matter what. Actually, he arrived too late to save the psychopath. The new main threat in town, going by Phoenix, decided it was time to get rid of THE face of the Crime in Gotham to therefore claim this title as his own.

That he succeeded. Tim Drake killed the Joker. By doing so, he also killed Bruce's Batman.

Joker died in Batman's arms. And he died laughing.

No one hurried anything after this, but they knew this night chimed the end of Bruce as Batman.

There was no Batman without the Joker. Thus it seemed the... natural way, to close this book and open a new one.

Bruce settled for the decision himself. First he talked to Alfred, then to his first daughter. His favorite child. The person he has always been aware he would give the mantle to when the time has come. Cassandra.

After what he reunited the Batfamily (which saw itself kinda... extended, over those years), and he made the official announcement. He repeated so the tomorrow day for the Justice League.

It made sense even in the _continuity:_ Carrie Kelley handed her Robin uniform in one year ago to impersonate the new Batwoman. Bruce hadn't had another sidekick after this sixth Robin.

Cassandra Cain-Wayne became Batman.

For five years now, she wore the name. She only paused a few weeks for the end of her first pregnancy. But she was back at living her Dynamic duo adventures with her Robin, the young Helena Wayne, when Bruce Junior was only a month old.

Kon-El and her wanted to have a family; but for it to remain the same way as in _their_ families: raising children doesn't separate from justice, training and crime fighting.

In that respect, Batman and Superman became parents just like they stayed their heroes selves.

While today...

Cassandra put a hand on the bulge of her belly under her nightdress. Not even four months old, yet provoking complications. Doctors have been clear: she must limitate movements and most of all, _take a break_ from work. Said doctors being Justice League members, they meant taking a break from the _vigilante activity_.

Sure it was temporary, but this will last longer than for Bruce.

A week and a half ago, the family discovered the fœtus is a girl. From then, names ideas emerged from everywhere, albeit there was no rush to find one.

As long as they managed to refuse 'Rutabaga' Jason proposed as a catchy appellation, this baby will be fine.

Another Wayne will join the family. Since Kon-El adopted her last name, and Cass chose the Wayne identity over her hyphenated name.

"Do not worry, Cassie.", Stephanie winked playfully. "I've got this."

"I know."

She was only one year older than Steph, and they remained close friends. They used to be best friends at their beginnings, even. Right now though, Cassandra felt more like the adult in charge giving permission to stay out late to a teenager.

"Don't get mistaken.", she warned nevertheless. "It's _not_ a tenure. I want my costume back as soon as the Miss will allow."

"I have no intention to wear this permanently.", she chuckled. "But I do plan on enjoying _every_ second of this experiment!"

Another complicit smile.

"Now, Batman.", Cassandra validated. "Go kick some ass."

"You betcha, sister!"

And she flew out by the window.

It wasn't long before Kon-El arrived, _properly flying_ as for him, to the Manor.

"You just missed Stephanie.", she greeted him. "In her... bright new suit."

"It has nothing bright!", Superman retorted. "It's black and grey, with just a yellow utility belt."

They laughed, while their son Bruce bursted in the master suite, flying as well, to show them what he did with Terry and Fabian this afternoon.

(())

"So... I am your Robin, too?"

"Consider it's a try!"

Pre-teen Helena nodded.

"I like that."

Nell landed on the roof next to them.

"Looking classy, _Batman_."

"I know, right?"

The girls smiled.

They will have one Hell of a good time.

(())

"How is this Batman run?"

"Thrilling."

She stretched.

"Been a while since we last went outta town on a mission together, though.", Stephie noted while taking off her cowl.

Edward and Jason shared a look.

"Been only a month.", the latter dithered.

"Indeed, 'been a _long_ while.", Eddie reinforced.

They smirked.

Their trio was an optimal, badass team for so many years. Now, it counted a few more members.

Vic initiated an innocent suggestion:

"Furthermore, it would be a first mission with Batman Steph."

"Batman Steph!", a fifth voice giggled. "I'm gonna call you that!", Klarion declared forcefully and Teekl meowed in approval.

They laughed.

The Witchboy came and went. He was welcomed everywhere in the big family, he didn't have 'a' place he preferred. But his cat and him most often landed either at Ed and Vic's place or at Harley and Ivy's, because they were certain to have fun with their favorite human beings there. Since Steph and Jason practically lived at the detectives' place, and all of them were regularly to be seen in Harl and Pamela's house. Plus the kids.

"Mission it is!", they decided in the evening, proud of themselves and acting like children.

"Alright!", Klarion shared the traditional wording what became one of their catchphrases: "Let's put on a show."

(())

The glass he clutched in his hand broke over the pressure.

Mockingjay startled.

"Tim?", she tried prudently, her voice sounding too unsure and weak for her liking. "Maybe we can... if you..."

"I don't have time for now.", he cut coldly, not bothering to look at her. "Leave me alone, I must _think_."

Esther didn't insist; she preferably left the room.

"He is angry.", she whispered in the corridor upon meeting Jonathan who most likely arrived for a debrief with Phoenix. "Not that I complain.", she justified herself when seeing the tall man's skeptical frown. "On the contrary, I... understand."

Scarecrow shrugged his shoulders.

The Yellow Lantern seemed unbothered, but his mirror-like blue iris shot daggers.

"That Tim can't get over his fight and _defeat_ against Brown as Batman is _his_ problem. He shouldn't be mean with you because he has personal business to deal with."

"Stop that! He is not you and I am not Nygma.", she repeated once more, as whenever the psychiatrist drew the parallel between his past and his acolytes' present. "Our couple has nothing to do with what you lived with my father."

"Nothing indeed.", Jonathan attested severely. "Because although it ended a disaster, our relationship stayed functioning for _years_. We used to be close, and we were in _love_. More than you could imagine. While you and Tim Drake? It's taking the same direction as Edward and I without having ever been love. I don't compare our relationships, child. I just worry over your choices. You are nothing like your father. And romantically speaking? You are closer to _Harley Quinn_ at the time she desperately searched a mad love with Joker who never acknowledged her for anything else than to be abusive."

Mockingjay clenched her fists.

"That's not the case and you know it!"

She forced herself to keep her cool. It _hurt_ however, because everything he said was true.

(())

"TT. Only you, Brown."

"What can I say? I am _perfect_."

Damian shook his head with fondness. He will stay in Gotham for a bit after his last months-long mission in outerspace with Jon Samuel Kent and Lucy Quinzel.

A few years ago, he passed over the Robin mantle to Carrie Kelley, the same moment Steph gave the Batgirl symbol to Nell Little. After this both Samuel and him endorsed original identities and fresh names. They recently became a 'dynamic couple', as Lucy, Steph, Ed and Jason called them after their coming out.

Stephanie became Nightwing after ten years of run as Batgirl. The spot stayed vacant when Dick retired. Of course he helped whenever his friends asked, but he wore no longer his black and blue costume. He chose to be a husband and a father full-time. He deemed that Chloe and Jimmy need a parent home with them; and Barbara could always rely on her husband, both during her election campaign and then as elected Mayor. She gave the Oracle name to Edward when getting involved in politics.

Mayor of Gotham Barbara Grayson. Everyone bet she'll be President of the United States some day.

For now, Damian became the third Nightwing. His turn to add his own personal touch to the uniform and to make himself a reputation out of it.

Next one to change will most likely be Nell. Her girlfriend Carrie being Batwoman now, she confided she must find a more mature outfit to get along.

So many changes.

So many faces.

But the _same_ legacy they kept alive.

(())

"Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing and Batman. What a collection."

"More than any other Batfam members!", she swanked.

Edward approved with pride:

"Have I not forever claimed you are the cream of the crop?"

"... Yes you have.", she smiled sweetly.

He did before anyone else dared to grant her a _glance_. He stood against everyone when they treated her wrong and commanded her to quit. He supported her back at when she was a child, and during her debuts as Spoiler. Edward Nygma is the only person she met who _always_ believed in her.

Klarion too, though she already was Batgirl when they crossed paths.

"Are you gonna _stay_ Batman now that you have fun?", Witchboy inquired.

He levitated close to them.

"As long as Cass is out of the game. But it's... her role, not mine."

Then she fulfilled:

"In fact, I will probably launch another run after Batman."

"Which one?", Vic asked. "Since you gave Nightwing to Damian?"

"I don't know yet. I'll see."

They were together. Peaceful, relaxed, determined and oh so _alive_.

"I love this.", Jason voiced out loud the ambient warm, pleasant feeling. "Just... us. Hail to Blondie, our handsome eggplant Batman. Look how far you've come!"

"No.", Stephanie rectified with a huge smile.

She watched her friends. Her teammates. Her partners. Her _family_.

The persons who meant the world to her.

"Look how far _we've_ come."


End file.
